


The Shanty Crew

by Ro_Kip



Series: Sea Shanty 5 [1]
Category: Soon May The Wellerman Come - Anonymous (Song)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, How Do I Tag, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:41:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29201523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ro_Kip/pseuds/Ro_Kip
Summary: What if the great 5, NatewantstoBattle, Caleb Hyles, Jonathan Young, 10 Second Songs, and pellek were in a pirate crew? How do they meet?
Series: Sea Shanty 5 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143995
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	1. With fate-laced fingers

**Author's Note:**

> I promise I'm wanting this to be a happy, fluffy piece...but I need to get some angst out of my system and I'm still not done.

"Sss. Why must this be so tight?" A young teen hissed as a maid continued to cinch up the corset with two others holding them in place. The near mid-day sun filtered into the spacious room, covering everything with a slight golden hue. Even though it was quite warm, the room felt quite cold. 

"Well young sir, your father wished for you to try the new fashion from the main land." One of them said as another pulled tightly and the corset, nearly causing the young man to fall over before more maids steadied him. 

'Yeah, well whoever made this bloody garment should be drug out into the square and shot!' He nearly gasped as they pulled on it's silk strings once again. It wasn't that the outfit wasn't good, in fact it was quite pretty, if not a little warm looking. It was a deep navy, with gold accents. He just wished it didn't have a corset.

"How's it coming Nathaniel? It's from the northern parts of Europe and it's made by a friend of mine." His father asked from the door. Nathaniel's room didn't have a dressing screen as his mother claimed it was "unfit" for him to have such a thing when he was about to be an adult. However they didn't have a habit of knocking, so they came up with the compromise of only maids and maybe the butler were allowed in. He snapped out out of his thoughts as they did one final yank before tying it into a knot before they started dressing him in the under and over shirt.

"I will never give women a single whisper about their corsets ever." He murmured, earning a chuckle from the maids as they helped him into his heels. He could definitely feel that it was warm. No, not warm. Hot. Even in the coolness of his room, he could already feel the sweat starting to build up even with it on for only a few seconds.

"How is it?" His father asked again, standing in the open doorway.

'When did it open?'

"It's..." He tried to sigh, but found it hard to breathe.

'I'm definitely never giving women even a breath about their corsets. I can't even breathe in mine.'

"Very warm." He finally said as his father gave a rare hearty chuckle.

"I would be very surprised if it wasn't. Although, it seems as though it's missing the dress."

'The what?!'

"Governor Sharp, I'm so sorry to disturb you but this just came..." Nathaniel tuned out the rest of the conversation as his eyes go wide with shock and fear. Why were they gonna dress him like a woman?

"Nathania, these are for you." His father said as he stepped into the room and handed the dress to the many maids. But it wasn't just one dress, it was several. Of different styles, shapes and colors, all with a weird sort of compact hay pressed into the chest. His father had a sickly sly grin on his face, promising future pain.

"Can you ladies please make sure that my _daughter_ is all ready for _her fiance_? He'll be here by sundown for her _wedding_." He said to them as the younger maids began squealing, rushing him to be presentable. Nathaniel's throat tighten as breathing became even harder.

"You-You can't!" He cried out, tears feeling cool to his face. His father looked at him in mock sympathy and sadness.

"Oh, you see my dear, as your father I must. How else would you be happy? Take care of _her_ while I'm gone." And with that, he was gone. The maids began nearly stripping him while loudly squealing and congratulating _her_ for getting a _husband_ all the while he quietly sobbed and let them work.

They quickly took off the hot outer layers and began chastising _her_ for becoming sweaty on _her_ big day. Before he knew it, he was given a very quick, very cold bath before getting dried and quickly dressed again. He continued to quietly cry as his entire life was getting up-heaved and thrown out the window.

The golden hue that had bathed the room began to grow into a deep red as his tears had dried themselves onto his cheeks and his skin felt raw and weak. The deep maroon dress was tight all around his torso and upper arms. They had token a knife to shave off his body hair and suntanned skin, making him look as much like a small child in a fitted dress. The corset was much tighter than the last one, but he felt a bit more supported. 

"How are you feeling Nathaniel? You look awfully downcast for such a joyous day." Sake, his once nanny asked. She was carrying various hair clips and veils. The rest of the maids were chased out a half an hour ago to give him some privacy. Nathaniel shook his head as he looked out the window.

The waves crashing up against the coast as seagulls flew by, carrying any small piece of food that they could get their beaks on. They cried as they all gathered on a rock and started fighting over their food. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since that morning.

"Did you not eat today? Come now, let's get you something." 

"No."

"No? Young sir, you must have something in you, less you make an embarrassment out of yourself and your father." That statement ground his gears. Why should he have to do anything for him? Especially after today?

"I don't want to get married!" He cried and he shoved her out of the way as he forced the door to open and he ran out of the house. 

"Young master! Come back!" A young servant cried out. But he payed her no mind as he kept running. The dress started getting caught and ripped until it was nothing but rags and a dirty under layers and corset. He didn't know how long he's been running. What he does know is that he was now lost in town that he had no idea where was what. And that he probably still looks like a woman. He groaned before a sharp pain shot through his ribs and his world fell into a numbing darkness.

* * *

It was as if he was floating, without a care in the world. His whole vision was dark, but it was quite comforting. Far away, voices started to become clearer and distinct. 'Odd,' he thought to himself, 'I don't know those voices'.

"-you do realize how much trouble we're all gonna be in if the captain finds out you brought in a woman, let alone one of the night, into the ship?" One of them whisper shouted. 'Who are they talking about?'

"Well we don't know if she is one or not." Another one counters softly, speaking at normal volume. 'Seriously, who are they talking about? It's like they're in the same room.'

"I don't know Hyles, she seems to have been on the street for a while. And I think you and I know that there's only-" 'Oh'

"I'm not a she, I'm a he." Nathaniel said as he slowly opened his eyes to look at them and his surroundings. By the look of things, he was probably in a ship, if the hammocks all around the room...hull? and that some of the various crates around were swaying a bit. 'Uh...how did I get here?'

"Really?" One of them asks, pulling Nathaniel's attention towards them. One of them seemed to have little scarce top that showed his ribs. His hair as wild as lightning was barely being contained by a rag wrapped around his head. The other two seemed to be better dressed, with one having a hat and the other having tamed hair and a bright yellow bird on his shoulder. 

"Yes, I have a dick. And no, you can't have it, no matter how much you pay me." He deadpanned. There was silence, no one moved. And then the three strangers began to snicker before the sound of a door opening shut them up. Nathaniel quickly hid behind some of the moving crates and prayed that they'd stay still for at least a bit.

"What are you doing men? We have to get the rest of the supplies in. We're leaving tonight." A deep voice echoed with a command that sent shivers down his spine. 

"Wait tonight? I thought we were going tomorrow?" The one with the bird asked. The new man had a hat like the other one, but his had three very thin feathers curling over his head. He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"We were. However, the entire town is running a muck because of a runaway bride." The three of them exchanged glances and Nathaniel's eyes grew with fear as he glanced between the mystery men and his side. 

'Uh oh...oh godless mercy...'

"I mean...that must be heartbreaking..." The one with tamed wild hair finally says, still looking between the other two confused.

"It is, especially since it was the Governor's daughter who was supposed to be married off to Silver-Tongue." Fancy-Hat said, as Nathaniel called him, said seriously. The other three gasped.

"The King of Dark Rain Isle? The pirate safe haven guardian?!" Simple-Hat exclaimed before being shushed by Fancy-Hat. He massaged his temples before sitting down on one of the crates that Nathaniel wasn't hiding behind.

"The very same. It seems that they had an agreement. If the Governor was give up his daughter's hand in marriage, Silver-Tongue would give this island base protection from piracy along with some none pirate ships safe voyage to the Isle." They all raised an eyebrow at that statement.

'I don't think he'd be too happy if he found out that the 'daughter' was actually a son.'

"Do you think he'd follow through?" Simple-Hat slowly asked. Fancy-Hat simply shrugged as he opened his jacket and pulled out a small bottle and took a sip before putting it away.

"No idea. However, that option may no longer available if they can't find the girl by sunrise. The rumor is that they'll start hunting down any outsiders that dared to even stepped foot in their pier. On either side."

"Are they still letting ships in and out?" Bird-Shoulder asked, looking out the small flap of the ship. 

"If they're for trading and produce yes. However, they need to have their entire ship searched before they even go through the paper work to get out. Now come on. We have lots to do before it's light out." Fancy-Hat ushered them out of the chamber and onto the top deck. Nathaniel waited until he heard the door shut before glancing back down to his side. He was still wearing the corset and he didn't know how long he's had it on. It had a red, clumpy stain on the side he recalls being stabbed.

'It's almost the same color as the dress... oh no...' He thought as he slowly rose from his position, wincing as he moved the wrong way and nearly opened the wound again. There was a small dagger on one of the crates. He took it and carefully sawed at the ruined silk ribbons, freeing his torso and taking the first full breath since the day before.

Warmth began to slowly trickle down his side as there was nothing there anymore to stop the bleeding. Nathaniel grabbed the dagger and started sawing away to the corset and made a makeshift bandage while slowly making his way to the small flap the Bird-Shoulder looked out of. His eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped. The entire street was filled with soldiers. You couldn't walk down these streets, not with this many people.

They all looked stoically and questioned anyone that came in and out, doing a full search of that person. A filthy, old man tried to get past them, but they weren't having it. The elder seemed to be yelling that them before turning his back. But at that point, the soldiers all fired on that poor man, before dragging him away to who knows where. Nathaniel's shoulders dropped as he sunk to the floor, back turned towards the flap about his head. Warm tears silently began dropping from his eyes, making a small shower of sorrow and disbelief. He curled up into himself and thought... 

'What am I gonna do...?'


	2. Comes with Lies being undone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lies start to break and a new adventure is about to begin, but is it too late?

The whole town was tense with fear. It wasn't often that the soldiers had filled the town with their presence. What's more, they were asked for their homes to be searched! A small yellow parrot flew across the skies, looking down at all of the frightened citizens. Many children took to hiding in their mother's skirt before being dragged out by the armed forces.

Some of them were able to get away from their grasps back to their families, however most were taken to the Governor's gate to be judged whether or not they were the runaway bride. If not, they were dragged off to the underground prison and never came back out. The parrot whistled as it made it's way down to it's owner, Navigator Caleb Hyles. The man scratched the little bird's beak before giving them a grape. It chirped happily and nuzzled up against the man's full beard. Caleb smiled before turning his attention back to the wall of militia blocking the main entrance. They stare coldly into his soul as his friends try and convince them to let them through. 

"Sir, I understand that you're trying to find the Governor's daughter. However, we're needed inside the town." Caleb's friend, First mate Pellek, tried to explain, but the guard simply turned up his nose. 

"And what is so important that you must be inside? There are too many people and frankly, you don't look half important enough to get through." The guard said as he pointed his gun at them. Their quartermaster, Anthony with his wild hair quickly moved between them, holding his hands in surrender.

"You're just gonna need to trust us. And-"

"Trust doesn't exist with the likes of you."

"Well-"

"Men. What is taking so long?" A deep voice barks. All heads turn towards the owner as he strides forth. The stiff feathers in his hat moved with an almost life like dance as his eyes pierce anyone that dared look too long. 

"Captain, they won't let us in." Pellek replied with annoyance. Captain Jonathan's gaze sharpened to a near longsword as he glared at the guards. 

"Why not?" He spat out. Beads of sweat started to trickle down their faces as they kept fearful eye contact.

"It's forbidden at this time come back at another time!" They shouted. Anthony raised a warning finger and spoke before thinking.

"That's no way to talk to the young lady's escorts." He kept his gaze as the soldiers' color drained to a pale white as he himself tried to keep from exposing the lie.

"...Excuse me?" A small voice asked. A very short general, maybe only 5 foot, marched forward and stood on a wooden box to be only about shoulder height.

"We were sent by Silver-Tongue to pick up the Governor's daughter and agreed to this day." Caleb quickly lied, moving to flank Anthony. The general's eyes widened slightly before regaining his composure.

"Do-Do you have papers?" He said as he pulled a quill and a pair of spectacles from his coat.

"Papers or not, the boss is expecting her in a week. And in case you've forgotten, that's nearly the exact time it takes to get to the Isle." Pellek raised a brow at the general as he fiddled with his glasses.

"Well-"

"Don't tell me you've _magically lost her_." Jonathan loomed over him, blocking any light the crescent moon was giving.

"O-Of course not!" He stuttered.

"Then take us to her. Can't keep them waiting much longer."

"Only the Captain. The Gov-Governor has made it clear about who's welcomed and whose not."

"Very well. Men, keep watch of the ship and for me when I come back."

"Yes Captain." They chorused before silently turning back to the dock.

* * *

"I don't like this island." Pellek said after some silence. Caleb nodded as he looked back at his Captain disappear into the town.

"Then that makes two of us."

"Three of us actually." Anthony pipped up. They all nodded again and continued to walk. The last few hours turned in Caleb's head as he stopped, causing the other two to stop as well.

"Well spill." Pellek said after a few minutes of just waiting.

"Something about this whole situation just seems off to me. I just can't put my finger on it." He admitted. Pellek shrugged.

"Not really." Both Anthony and Caleb looked at him with various levels of disbelief. "Okay yeah, some parts of it don't make any sense, but I wouldn't wanna marry someone I've only heard about maybe a month before hand." Anthony nodded while Caleb shook his head.

"No, it's not that."

"Is it the fact that she _ran away_ the day she was supposed to be whisked away? I would defiantly run if I wasn't able to see anyone I cared about ever again." Anthony offered, but he shook his head again.

"No, no. It's not that either." His eyes traveled across the coast and noticed a small alley way that lead into the city. As he walked through, he noticed a deep red fabric. Upon lifting it up, it showed itself to be a dress. 

"What was the last thing that she was wearing Commander?" One of the soldiers asked. Caleb turned his head as Anthony and Pellek caught up.

"According to the staff, a new maroon dress." They shook their head as they walked the other way.

"What a waste." When they were out of ear shot, Anthony grabbed the dress and lifted it up to the moon to get a better look. The sleeves were ripped at the seams with fraying threads all the way down. In fact, the whole torso looked as if it was stretched to it's limit before busting. Any decorative lace was no longer attached and fell off. At least half of the skirt was missing, if not shredded. The whole thing was filled with dirt and reeked of fecal matter. Although not many of them had a bath in months, this was by far one of the worst items of clothing they've ever seen.

"Huh. I guess this might be the dress she was wearing." Anthony commented, scrunching his nose. A light wind blew through, making the garment somehow stink even more. 

"It's awfully dirty. You'd think a cabin boy wore this instead of a runaway bride. Especially with the amount of damage done to it." Pellek said, fiddling with the shredded skirt only to stop when he smelled it again. 

"Yeah..." Caleb said when something in the breast caught his attention. The whole thing looked far too thin, but it seemed like there was something solid that was casting a shadow.

"What is it Hyles?" Anthony asked. Instead of answering, he just grabbed the cloth and sped walked down the street.

"Whoa, hey! Where are you going?"

"Hyles, what's wrong?" They called out, trying to catch up.

"I've just figured out what's wrong with this situation." He said before spotting some of the guards walking towards them.

"Here, in here." Pellek said as they pulled them into a twisting alleyway as they waited for them to pass.

"Okay what's wrong with it?" Anthony asked once they were sure they were alone. The dress was so in ruin that the rushing loosened the chest and dense rectangles fell out.

"This is compacted hay." Pellek states after picking it up. It smelt like it was starting to ferment. 

"Yeah?" Caleb furrowed his brows in deep thought.

"It was in the dress?" Anthony moved the garment, trying to see if there was more.

"Okay, and?" Pellek asked, impatiently.

"The Governor doesn't have a daughter. He has a son." Caleb stated. An imaginary light bulb lit up above Anthony's and Pellek's head.

"Ohhhh. Oh..." Realization fell over all their faces at the thought of Silver-Tongue getting a husband instead of a wife like he was promised.

"So...This entire marriage deal was a big set up." Caleb said slowly, rubbing his bird's neck. Anthony lowered the dress and half-heartily threw it on a trash pile. 

"It plays very well in the Governor's favor. That's another thing that was weird. The deal makes it so that he gets access to both the Isle and protection of this island. That greedy bastard." He shook his head and leaned against the wall. 

"It would definitely play it way too well if Silver-Tongue decided to come here himself." Caleb mused, thinking back to the soldiers who'd filled the streets.

"Yeah, no kidding." Pellek peeked around the corner, checking to see if there were any loose ears. There were none.

"Wait. If they lost the son...one, who are they gonna try and sell instead? And two, where is he?" Anthony asked. They all looked down in thought, then Caleb got a light bulb of his own.

'I'm not a she. I'm a he.' 

"I know where he is. Pip-Pip, go and find the Captain, and tell him to get back to the ship as soon as possible." He motioned them to fly and for the others to follow him. "Come on." He said as they nearly sprinted back the way they came.

* * *

"Governor. The escort for you daughter." The guard approached with Captain Jonathan close behind. He looked up and gave a perfect grin.

"Ah, I was worried that no one would show up." His hand rose to a handshake that Jonathan simply ignored.

"If we didn't show, we would be dead." He deadpanned as the Governor chuckled politely.

"Fair enough... Captain." The Governor looked him up and down before smirking.

"Where is this young lady that belongs to Silver-Tongue?" He demanded, quickly glancing around the front. The gardeners all had their heads down as they clipped off the dead flowers off the bushes, murmuring to one another.

"Oh, she's just inside. Insisted to keep her image before being sent off to sea." The Governor explained as he lead him into the large manor. It consisted of mostly cream colors and high European structure that stuck out like a welt next to the native species. 

"I see..." He started before looking at the paintings on the walls. Or the lack there of. Almost everything was decorated tastefully, but not one painting in sight. Not even a painting of landscape was there. You'd think you'd wanna remember your own daughter after she was sold off. Speaking of which, "You know Governor, I don't think you've ever said her name." He turned around and looked innocently at Jonathan. 

"Whose?" His eyes narrowed.

"Your daughter's. You've used pronouns and call her your daughter, but you never use her name."

"Well-"

"You don't have one do you?" That's when he saw the only painting in the whole house. A young boy, maybe only about 14 at max, dressed the same as the Governor. His hazel eyes shone dully from staying in place for so long. Underneath was an inscription, _Governor Sharp with his son, Nathaniel._ "You have a son. Nathaniel. You've been actively lying to Sliver-Tongue and he won't be too happy to hear that he's been cheated."

"It wouldn't have mattered, he passes well enough. And as for that retched pirate that you call king, he won't hear a peep about it." All at once, ten guns all poised at Jonathan's head clicked.

"I believe the silence of it all will be enough of a message. That you're a lying coward that can't keep up a simple hand in marriage." He spat out. While he took down all ten of them and stood stoically at Governor Sharp as his face twisted into rage. 

"Raahh!"

* * *

The three of them charged down to their ship and stopped in the hull. The same kid that Caleb had brought in earlier that evening was curled into himself under the small flap window and was silently shaking.

"Oh, you're still here." Anthony awkwardly said. The kid looked up. His face was stained with dried tear tracks that still glistened in the moon light. He slowly uncurled from himself and sat up. 

"Yeah..." 

"You're the Governor's son." Caleb said. The kid's eyes widened as he curled into himself again.

"How-How did you know?" His voice so small, it was hard to hear.

"How _did_ you know Hyles?" Pellek asked, raising his brow. Caleb just shrugged.

"You see, when I first found him, there was compacted hay hidden under his corset." He started, pointing at some of the clumps of hay on the floor. "It's the same hay that was in the dress that looked as if it had been murdered inside and out." The other two nodded as the kid quietly stood up and looked out the flap again.

"I didn't even think about that." 

"Damn." Pellek whispered as the kid turned back to them, fidgeting with the ribbons on his make-shift bandage.

"So...what's happening to my people?" He asked, looking out at the wall of armed forces still guarding the entrance. Pip-Pip chirped and whistled as Caleb nodded. 

"Pip-Pip said he saw various guards dragging young girls away from their parent and taking them underground." He said.

"W-What?!" He exclaimed. Pellek tilted his head.

"What is it? What's down there?" The kid looked down.

"...The island's prison. It's meant for pirates since they wouldn't have their land legs yet and it would take them forever to get out." 

"Okay. That's just cruel." Anthony bluntly stated. 

"Do you think we could get in?" Caleb tried, but the others shook their heads.

"They're not gonna let us into town, we already tried that, remember." 

"You think they'd drag pirates through town before execution? There's a sea entrance just below the Governor's house." The kid said as the three of them shared a look before getting a glint in their eyes.

"Well then what are we waiting for?" Anthony wring his hands together with vigor.

"The Captain?" Pellek raised a brow while the kid just looked confused.

"I thought you were the captain..." He said while pointing at Caleb. They all looked at each other before Caleb pulled the kid towards the deck.

"Time to learn how to sail kid."


End file.
